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Hi, I’m Maya 👋 a creative director who lives at the intersection of culture, concept, and straight up good taste. I began my career in the finance and fashion worlds, and that foundation still informs my instinct for aesthetics, a business mindset, and real emotional connection. Over the past 15+ years, I’ve led brand and campaign work for household names, emerging startups, and cult-loved challengers across the fashion, beauty, and wellness space. I help brands find their voice, refine their visual language, and create work that actually connects. I’ve shaped campaigns for brands like Hanes, Audible, and Peroni, guided startups through pivotal launches, and led cross-functional teams that consistently punch above their weight. My unconventional path has shaped a creative lens that’s both strategic and deeply human. It allows me to bring unexpected solutions to some of the world’s most ambitious brands. And my creative non-negotiables? Empathy, curiosity, and hustle. Let’s build something together.…Hi, I’m Maya 👋 a creative director who lives at the intersection of culture, concept, and straight up good taste. I began my career in the finance and fashion worlds, and that foundation still informs my instinct for aesthetics, a business mindset, and real emotional connection. Over the past 15+ years, I’ve led brand and campaign work for household names, emerging startups, and cult-loved challengers across the fashion, beauty, and wellness space. I help brands find their voice, refine their visual language, and create work that actually connects. I’ve shaped campaigns for brands like Hanes, Audible, and Peroni, guided startups through pivotal launches, and led cross-functional teams that consistently punch above their weight. My unconventional path has shaped a creative lens that’s both strategic and deeply human. It allows me to bring unexpected solutions to some of the world’s most ambitious brands. And my creative non-negotiables? Empathy, curiosity, and hustle. Let’s build something together.

Maya Kagan

Creative Director, Brand Strategist, Brand Designer, +2

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Hi, I’m Maya 👋 a creative director who lives at the intersection of culture, concept, and straight up good taste. I began my career in the finance and fashion worlds, and that foundation still informs my instinct for aesthetics, a business mindset, and real emotional connection. Over the past 15+ years, I’ve led brand and campaign work for household names, emerging startups, and cult-loved challengers across the fashion, beauty, and wellness space. I help brands find their voice, refine their visual language, and create work that actually connects. I’ve shaped campaigns for brands like Hanes, Audible, and Peroni, guided startups through pivotal launches, and led cross-functional teams that consistently punch above their weight. My unconventional path has shaped a creative lens that’s both strategic and deeply human. It allows me to bring unexpected solutions to some of the world’s most ambitious brands. And my creative non-negotiables? Empathy, curiosity, and hustle. Let’s build something together.…Hi, I’m Maya 👋 a creative director who lives at the intersection of culture, concept, and straight up good taste. I began my career in the finance and fashion worlds, and that foundation still informs my instinct for aesthetics, a business mindset, and real emotional connection. Over the past 15+ years, I’ve led brand and campaign work for household names, emerging startups, and cult-loved challengers across the fashion, beauty, and wellness space. I help brands find their voice, refine their visual language, and create work that actually connects. I’ve shaped campaigns for brands like Hanes, Audible, and Peroni, guided startups through pivotal launches, and led cross-functional teams that consistently punch above their weight. My unconventional path has shaped a creative lens that’s both strategic and deeply human. It allows me to bring unexpected solutions to some of the world’s most ambitious brands. And my creative non-negotiables? Empathy, curiosity, and hustle. Let’s build something together.

Available to hire

New York, United States

Hi, I’m Maya 👋 a creative director who lives at the intersection of culture, concept, and straight up good taste.

I began my career in the finance and fashion worlds, and that foundation still informs my instinct for aesthetics, a business mindset, and real emotional connection. Over the past 15+ years, I’ve led brand and campaign work for household names, emerging startups, and cult-loved challengers across the fashion, beauty, and wellness space.

I help brands find their voice, refine their visual language, and create work that actually connects. I’ve shaped campaigns for brands like Hanes, Audible, and Peroni, guided startups through pivotal launches, and led cross-functional teams that consistently punch above their weight.

My unconventional path has shaped a creative lens that’s both strategic and deeply human. It allows me to bring unexpected solutions to some of the world’s most ambitious brands. And my creative non-negotiables? Empathy, curiosity, and hustle.

Let’s build something together.

Skills

Experience Level

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Intermediate

Work Experience

Senior Brand Designer / Creative Director at Independent

May 1, 2025 - Present

Led brand identity systems, campaigns, and advisory projects across beauty, wellness, lifestyle, hospitality, and consumer spaces. Translated strategy into packaging, print, events, retail, and branded spaces from early concept through production handoff. Built moodboards, design direction, guidelines, and client decks to ensure teams execute consistently.

Creative Director at Barker

April 28, 2016 - April 29, 2025

Led creative vision across 5+ major client accounts, shaping brand platforms, identity systems, integrated campaigns, and physical brand applications from strategy through final execution. Directed work across digital, social, print, OOH, experiential, environmental, and production-ready touchpoints, maintaining cohesive brand consistency. Presented concepts and rationales directly to clients including founders, CMOs, and senior marketing leads. Built and managed a 14-person creative team and helped secure 9 new accounts, generating $2M incremental annual revenue.

Freelance Senior Art Director at MRM//McCann, Tribal

October 31, 2015 - February 29, 2016

Led 360 campaign concepting and design across beauty, fashion, CPG, and lifestyle brands from idea through execution. Translated brand platforms into social-first, platform-specific creative that drove engagement and shareability. Developed visual direction systems to set visual standards across digital, OOH, and experiential including moodboards, storyboards, and shoot guides.

Art Director at Mission

March 31, 2015 - September 30, 2015

Supported branding, digital, and experiential launches for Belvedere, Peroni, Mix Radio, and Pat McGrath. Supported flagship experiential events with 5K+ attendees including visual concepts, influencer kits, printed collateral, event graphics, and digital extensions.

Interactive Designer at Vaunte

February 21, 2013 - January 24, 2015

Led digital design for an emerging fashion e-commerce brand, including UX-focused site updates, photo shoot production, retouching, and founder collaboration.